In certain applications, it is customary to mount electrical units such as electrical switches and circuit breakers on panels. Typically, a circuit breaker will be inserted through an opening in the panel and will be stopped at the panel by a face plate overlapping the panel at the edges of the opening.
To hold the circuit breakers in place, mounting clips secured to the circuit breakers have been utilized to retain the circuit breakers within the panel openings. The mounting clips have been typically secured on opposite sides of the circuit breaker to engage generally opposing edge walls of the panel opening. The conventional clips include resilient arms which yield against the opposing edge walls of the panel opening as the circuit breaker is inserted or withdrawn from the panel opening. The spring force of the resilient retaining arms holds the breaker in position as the arms bear against the opposing edges.
The conventional mounting clip permitted the circuit breaker to be snapped into position simply by pushing the circuit breaker into the panel opening. For removal, the mounting clips also permit the circuit breaker to be snapped out of the panel opening simply by pulling the circuit breaker away from the panel.
In certain circumstances where the panel is subject to excessive or severe vibration or shock, circuit breakers having conventional mounting clips may inadvertently work loose or even work entirely free from the panel opening. In other environments, where the circuit breakers are exposed to work areas, for example, the circuit breakers having conventional mounting clips may be inadvertently jarred from the panel opening during accidental contact or bumping.
In accordance with the present invention, a retaining device is provided which overcomes the problem of the inadvertent disengagement of an electrical unit from panel opening. The retaining device, in accordance with the present invention, securely locks or latches an electrical circuit breaker within a panel opening.